Chair back and the like



April 19, 1955 w. J. KRANZ CHAIR BACK AND THE LIKE Filed May 20, 1954FIE-Z FIE TIE-6 INVENTOR. ZZ/i/X/am J/imnz w/zfl ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 0 CHAIR BACK AND THE LIKE William J. Kranz, Cuba, N. Y., assignorto Viko Furniture Corporation, Eldred, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application May 20, 1954, Serial No. 431,146

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-194) This invention relates to improvements in backsupports for metal chairs and the like and more particularly to supportsas defined or outlined by a hollow tubular frame of desired form.Specifically, the invention is directed to the provision of resilientrods as a support for a back rest pad or cushion.

Wire rods have heretofore been used as a filler for a metal frame toprovide a back rest for a chair or similar article. In some instancesthese rods have been of such diameter that, even though secured only attheir ends, they provided nothing more than a rigid openwork back rest.In other instances, the rods have been formed from resilient wire,presumably with the intention of providing a back rest having a measureof resiliency. However, these resilient rods were generally eitherconnected with and secured to a series of cross rods, or were so securedto the frame and seat as to preclude any movement in a direction thatwould give a user a some what resilient back support. Obviously, if therods or straps used to fill the space in the back frame of a chair arenot resilient or, being resilient, are so anchored and contoured as toprevent movement of the intermediate portions thereof, such a backsupport would seem to be intended primarily for appearance rather thancomfort.

The present invention provides a series of resilient rods as the fillerfor the back frame of a chair. are contoured between their ends toprovide centrally forwardly offset portions to which a pad or cushion isattached. The remaining portions of the rods .are either straight orinclined slightly rearwardly towards their ends in order that thecentrally oifset portions may project beyond the front plane of theframe. The lower ends of the rods are secured to the chair frame or tothe support for the seat in any suitable manner. The upper ends of therods, however, in order to provide desirable resiliency, are engagedwith the back frame in a manner to allow a predetermined extent ofmovement.

It is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a backsupport for a chair or similar article that is of simple and easilyassembled construction.

Another and important object of the invention lies in the provision ofsupporting structure for a back rest pad or cushion that is ofsufficient resiliency to give adequate support and comfort to a user.

Another and further object of the invention lies in the provision of aback support that, although having resiliency for comfort, is,nevertheless, of neat and trim appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a consideration of the following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a chair showing one form of backsupport embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the chair with the back frame invertical section and shows the supporting structure within the frame andthe pad in position of rest;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 and shows the position ofthe support and pad when flexed as in use;

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section,showing the method of mounting the resilient rods that constitute thepad support;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the position of the rodswhen at rest, as in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing generally the positionassumed by the rods when they are flexed and under pressure of use.

These rods Referring more particularly to the drawing, the referencenumeral 10 is employed to generally designate a chair in which one formof the invention is embodied. The chair illustrated is constructed fromhollow tubular metal and includes legs 11, to the horizontal connectingportions 12 of which a suitable seat 13 is attached. The mounting of theseat on the legs has no bearing on the present invention and istherefore shown only to the ex tent needed for illustration. The backrest frame 14 may be of any practical design but, in any event, willinclude upwardly extending side members 16. The lower horizontalportions 17 of these members project beneath the chair seat and areattached thereto in any suitable manner. The upper ends of the member 16are connected by a cross rail 18 which may, as suggested in the drawing,be integral with these members. Although the cross rail 18 is shown tobe horizontal, the successful assembly and operation of the invention isnot dependent on this portion of the frame being identical with theshowing in the drawing.

The space within the back frame, formed by the side members 16,horizontal rail 18, and seat 13, is filled with a suitable number ofresilient rods 19. In the present in stance only four such rods areprovided. However, the number of.rods most satisfactory to carry out theinvention' is substantially dependent on the size or area of the spacewithin the back frame. The lower end of each of the rods 19 may be bent,as at 21, and secured in any convenient way to the under surface of theseat 13. The upper ends of the rods 19 terminate in laterally offsetsemi-circular hook portions 22. The size of the curve of the portions 22and the extent of their offset from the main body of the rod has beencarefully determined for several reasons. In the first place, it isproposed, in as sembling the rods to the frame 14, to engage their upperends first with the cross rail 18. This rail is provided with therequired number of openings 23 and, when each end portion 22 isprojected through the opening 23 into the rail, the rod may be swungfrom substantially the posi' tion suggested in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5.At this point, the lower bent ends 21 of the rods are permanentlyattached. It will be particularly noted that, when the rods are securedat their upper and bottom ends and assume the position generallysuggested in Figs. 2 and 5, the extreme ends 24 thereof contact theinner circular surface of the rail 18 and the outer surface of thecurved portion contacts one edge of the opening 23.

At any suitable point intermediate their ends, each rod is formed with aforwardly offset portion 26. Each portion 26 is defined at its upper andlower ends by bends 27. A pad or cushion 28 is to be mounted on theoffset portions 26 and is secured to the rods 19 by a pair of cross rods29. The ends of these cross rods are suitably anchored to the pad andthe body portions thereof are parallel to but spaced from the back ofthe pad to an extent only sufficient to enclose the offset portions 26of rods 19 and hold them in contact with the pad. Due to the bends 27,the cross rods 29 can move neither upwardly nor downwardly of the rods19, and thus the pad 28 is held against misalignment or displacement.

As has been brought out above, it is the purpose of the invention toprovide a resilient back support and, as further explained, it isimportant to provide a resilient support even though the back supportingportion consists of rods or straps that are securely anchored to theback frame. By providing the present connection of the rods 19 with thehorizontal rail 18, these rods are permitted a measure of distortion bybending when pressure is applied to the face of the pad 28. As thispressure is applied, the portions 22 of the rods swing from the positionof Fig. 5 to substantially that of Fig. 6. In the present illustrationof Fig. 6, the rod will be seen to have moved more or less about amovable pivot. This movement, produced by deflection of the rods, mighthave a tendency to twist them. However, due to the bearing of the curvedportions 22 against the walls of the openings 23 and the constantcontact of the ends 24 with the inner surface of the rail 18, notendency of the rods to twist or turn occurs, and the rods are onlydeflected to the extent permitted by the change in position of theirupper ends.

Although applicant has shown and described only one rest pad as wouldoccur in use, and that such variations are contemplated as being Withinthe spirit and scope of the invention insofar as they are set out in theannexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire protection by Letters Patent 1. A back support for a-chaircomprising aback frame consisting of spaced side members, a tubularcross rail connecting the upper ends of said members, a series ofresilient rods extending between the seat of .said chair and said crossrail, generally semicircular portions terminating the upper ends of saidrods, said portions partially projecting into said rail through suitableopenings and being movable in the direction of their curvature to enable flexing said rods in use.

2. A back support for a chair comprising a back frame consisting .ofspaced side members, a tubular cross rail connecting the upper ends ofsaid members, a series of resilient rods extending between the seat ofsaid chair and said cross rail, centrally forwardly oifset portions onsaid rods, a pad secured against movement with respect to said portions,generally semi-circular portions at the upper ends of said rods, theends of said portions being substantially in the plane of the length ofsaid rods, said portions partially projecting into said rail throughsuitable openings with the ends thereof in contact with the innersurface of said rail whereby bodily movement of said portions may occurto enable flexing said rods upon the application of pressure againstsaid pad.

3. A back support for a hollow tubular metal chair comprising a backframe consisting of spaced side members, a cross rail connecting theupper ends of said side members, a series of resilient rods extendingfrom the seat of said chair to said cross rail, centrally forwardlyoifset portions on said rods, a pad overlying said portions,

other rods attached at their ends to said pad being located at the rearof said resilient rods and within the recesses formed by said offsetportions whereby to secure said pad a ainst displacement from said rods.

4. A back support for a hollow tubular metal chair comprising a backframe consisting of spaced side members, a cross rail connecting theupper ends of said side members, a series of resilient rods extendingfrom the seat of said chair to said cross rail, centrally forwardlyoffset portions on said rods, a pad overlying said portions, other rodsattached at their ends to said pad being located at the rear of saidresilient rods and within the recesses formed by said offset portionswhereby to secure said pad against displacement from said rods,generally semi-circular portions at the upper ends of said rods, theends of said portions being substantially in the plane of the length ofsaid rods, said portions partially projecting into said rail throughsuitable openings with the ends thereof in contact with the innersurface of said rail whereby bodily movement of said portions may occurto enable flexing sail rods upon the application of pressure againstsaid pa References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 950,194 Stockwell Feb. 22, 1910 1,211,992 Winter Ian. 9, 19171,264,265 Bruins Apr. 30, 1918 1,361,178 Pipp Dec. 7, 1920 2,063,732Gailey Dec. 8, 1936 2,641,432 Bielak et a1. June 9, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS22,196 Australia Feb. 21, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES Furniture Age Magazine(page 22), September 1952.

